Improvement in coal-sifters



figure in section.)

IINTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT O. NICHOLS, OF BOXBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN COAL-SIFTERS. l

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l39,668, dated August 25, 1863..

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT G. NICHOLS, ofRoXbury, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and Improved Goal-Sitter; and I do hereby declare that the following, taken in connection with the drawings, which accompany andforni part of this specification, is a description of my invention sufficient to enable those skilled in the art to practice it.

My invention relates to au improved construction of a sifting apparatus for separating coal from ashes; and it-consists in the manner of arranging and combining the sifter or screen with the pan or vessel containing the material to be sifted.

Figure l of the accompanying drawings represents a side elevation of my separating apparatus, (part of which is shown in said Fig. 2 is a top view of the sfter and its supporting-ring. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the line .r y of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan, and Fig. 5, a cross-section, of the bearing ring or hoop on which the coalpan, sitter-frame, and sitter are supported and operated. l

In the drawings, c denotes a barrel or ashesreceptacle, upon and around the upper edge of which a ring or hoop of metal or other suitable material is made to it, and this ring is provided with bearings c c, which receive two journals or axles, d. d, extending from opposite ends of aframeor basket, e, as seen in Figs. 1 and 2. This frame is suspended by its journals over the ashbarrel a, and from its rear side an arm, j, extends upward, said arm having hinged to its upper end a screw orsifter, g, as seen in Fig. 3.

Thel frame is so constructed as to receive and support the coal hod'or pan h, containing the coal and ashes to be sifted, and in such manner that when the pan is placed in the frame the sifter can be turned over upon and so as to closely cover the top of the pan. A hasp, z', on the sieve, and a catch, 7c, projecting from the frame, serve to fasten the sieve,

. pan, and frame together. The journals r1, bearings c, and hoop' b are so arrangedtogether and with respect to the vessel a, as to permit rocking or rotating motion to be given to the frame, and the frame may be prevented from endwise movement by projections or collars l l on the shaft d, as will be readily understood from inspection of Fig. 2. The ,top and bot tom surfaces of the journals d are not made round in shape, but are flattened, as seen ifi Fig. 6, which denotes a crosssection ofone of thejournals, these surfaces being parallel or about parallel to the plane of the surface of tha sitter g, and the top and bottom of the pan h. The surfaces of the bearing c against which the journals rest, being also made ilat, the pan h, when at rest, will be kept steady, anl either in an upright position or With the sitter g lowermost and horizontal.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The ashes from the stove or grate having been placed in the coalpan h, it is carried to the vessel c and placed in the frame e, the screen g being then turned down upon the top of the pan and fastened. The frame and pan are kept stationary, while the'pan is being placed and fastened by the contact of the lower fiat surface' of the journals, and the contiguous surface of the bearings c. The frame, pan, and sieve are the reversed or turned over by means of a handle, m, on one of the journals. This brings the sieve under the pan, or so as to form a bottom thereto, and now, by a gitating or rocking the frame and pan by means of the handle, the coal and ashes are separated, the ashes falling into the barrelc, while Athe coal remains on the sieve, and in this operation the fiat under surface of the journa-ls serves to give a jarring motion to the sitter, accelerating the falling of the ashes through the meshes of the sieve. After the coal is screened, the pan is again rotated into an upright position, where itis held, as before described, while the sifter g is turned and the pan removed. Instead of making the under surfaces of the journals flat, the weight of the coal and ashes may serve to keep the pan in position, or the frame may be weighted.

In the process of sifting coalashes as usually conducted the ashes are poured or emptied into or upon the sifter, and after being sifted the coal is restored to the hod or pan. This operation is troublesome, uncleanly, and annoyin g from the diffusion of the fine particles of ashes, and the deposit of the same on the clothes and person of the party using the sitter. I avoid this trouble by adapting ascreen directly to the mouth of the pan, suspending the whole in the frame e, and over the ash-barrel, as set forth, the dust and ashes being prevented from arising While being sifted, if necessary, by covering the apparatus with a top or cover7 u.

The coal-pan is shown as made of oval forni, for the purpose of conveniently discharging the coal into a stove or grate; but I do not propose to confine myself to such form, or to any particular manner of applying the apparatus to the barrel or ash-receptacle, meaning' to vary the same as circumstances may require, while I retain the main feature of my invention of arranging a sieve-frame and coal hod or pan together, to operate substantially as described.

I would also remark that though I have described my apparatus as used for the purpose of sifting coal-ashes, it will be evident that it may be applied for separating a sifting, or screening other substances, such as seeds, grains, spices, ores, Snc., so that I do not confine myself to the particular process of sifting coal-ashes.

What I claim isl. The combination of a siiter or screen, g, and pan h, when arranged and made to operate together in the manner and for the purpose substantially as described.

2. Making the journals d with the ila-t surfaces, as set forth, for the purpose of keeping the lpan in position and imparting the jarring motion to the sieve, as above specified.

R. C. NICHOLS.

Witnesses:

FRANCIS GoULD, JOSEPH 0. COLE. 

